Results

LADIES 1ST XI - 11/02/2018 VS LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS 2 (A) 
 
TEAM: Womens 1st XI 
DATE: 11/02/2018 
FIXTURE: Womens 1st XI VS 11/02/2018 
HEADLINE: DOUBLE WIN WEEKEND! 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 1 NORTH 
VENUE: Loughborough 
RESULT: win, 2-1 
 
REPORT: 
 
On the back of an impressive 5-0 win on Saturday against UEA we were keen to make it a double win weekend. 
 
After a long journey to Loughborough we took a few minutes longer than usual to get our warm up going and match ready. We were also greeted with a sudden onset of snow and an icy wind, followed by more snow showers during the rest of the game. 
 
We started the game well with excellent link up play between the lines and carrying in the midfield from Jo, Alice, Georgia and Flic. The forward line had many great chances with Krystal and Micayla firing a few with pace. A goal shortly came when Oli transferred the balk around the back to Flic who passed it through to Krystal. Krystal got round a defender and then passed it to Oli who then scored. This made us 1-0 up relatively early on in the game. 
 
A short corner goal from Loughborough made us finish the first half 1-1. 
 
We went into the second half with as much energy as the first and again creating many chances. Loughborough came back but our solid defending by Harriet, Fong, Danni and Ellie Pitcher kept their chances at bay. With more exceptional attacking play from everyone on the pitch and some good base line runs by Milly and Ellie Brine we won a short corner. The ball was dragged out to Alice who slipped it left to Flic. Flic slapped the ball at goal and a touch by Fong sent it in. This meant we finished the game 2-1 and are now through to the quarter finals and are in the final 8 of the England Hockey Cup. 
 
A special mention should go to our supporters who came with us, ran the bench, helped direct our half time talk and shouted encouragement throughout the game. 

LADIES 1ST XI - 10/02/2018 VS UEA (H) 
 
TEAM: Womens 1st XI 
DATE: 10/02/2018 
FIXTURE: Womens 1st XI VS 10/02/2018 
HEADLINE: The start of something good... 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 1 NORTH 
VENUE: TRF 
RESULT: 5-0 
 
REPORT: 
I’m always so excited to receive player of the match until I realise that I have to write the match report, and I can’t remember what happened! (And with a Sunday cup match to prepare for I got a bit distracted from writing it, so apologies that it’s late!) 
Here are some parts that I do remember... 
We had a punchy speech from Pies to kick us off, asking us to try to do what he’s been asking us to do all season! 
The weather was rotten! It was cold, it was windy and it rained! 
Krystal scored a blinder of an early goal, great start, one nil up! 
At half time we were two - nil up. 
The second half was equally rotten weather, but a couple of the M1s did venture out under their brollies to give us a cheer! 
A short corner routine was blocked by a UEA defenders foot on the line, and a flick was awarded... and smashed into the bottom left corner by none other than Flic. 
Summer didn’t have a lot to do. 
Goal scorers were, Flic (x2), Oli, Krystal and Alice. 
Great runs, interceptions, and skills from all players; defence, midfield and forwards. A great stint was put in at midfield by Abbie. 
The full squad of 16 put in a gutsy performance and we ended the game 5-0. 
Then we took some great team pics afterwards and went in to watch England beat Wales! 
Two great results, little did we know it was soon to be 3! 
Cheers, Jo 

MENS 1ST XI - 11/02/2018 VS EAST LONDON (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 11/02/2018 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 11/02/2018 
HEADLINE:  
LEAGUE: EAST PREMIER DIVISION B 
VENUE: 
RESULT: 
 
REPORT: 
 
Norwich went into the cup match on Sunday fresh off of a good win in the league the day before and looking to continue their recent good form. They were up against East London who were flying high top of their league so it was never going to be an easy match. The team met early Sunday morning and helped with the coaching of the minis that was enjoyed by all and hopefully was useful for the younger players. 
 
The match was close from the very start with both teams trying to start fast and get on top and it was East London who had much of the early pressure. They transferred well around the back and broke down the wings but found the usual wall of the Norwich defence and struggled to create any real chances. Norwich relied on fast counter attacks through midfield and attack but found themselves outnumbered and chances hard to come by. 
 
The deadlock was only broken when some fortune favoured the visitors and the umpire’s view was blocked of a tackle hitting the attacker’s foot, he continued into the D and won a short corner that was converted to make it 1-0. 
 
Norwich started to grow slowly into the match as the midfield started getting the upper hand and a few chances were created. A deserved equaliser was scored by Rob Duffy who was playing a more attacking role than usual and found himself in the right place to deflect the ball in for his first senior goal! 
 
1-1 at half time and East London the happier. 
 
The second half remained cagey with few real chances and both sets of forwards feeding off scraps as the two midfields cancelled each other out and the few short corners that were awarded well dealt with by the defences. City thought they did have the ball in the back of the net but the umpire had stopped the match so, despite admitting he had made a mistake, the opportunity had gone and with it the last big chance of the match. 
 
The match ended and went to flicks to decide who went through to the next round. A mixture of some great saves by their Goalkeeper and some bad luck from the takers left East London winners and Norwich able to concentrate on the league. 

MENS 1ST XI - 10/02/2018 VS CAMBRIDGE UNI 2 (A) 
 
TEAM: Mens 1st XI 
DATE: 10/02/2018 
FIXTURE: Mens 1st XI VS 10/02/2018 
HEADLINE: City build momentum with continued good form  
LEAGUE: EAST PREMIER DIVISION B 
VENUE: Wilberforce Road 
RESULT: 4-0 
 
REPORT: 
Norwich travelled to face Cambridge University hoping to keep their promotion aspirations alive and well. 
The match started quickly with both teams having strong periods of play but both teams struggling to penetrate the opposing D. Norwich had a good opportunity when using some fast and strong play Chris Wardale was able to slip the ball to Dave Skinner in the D but his quick shot was wide of the mark.  
The match became tense and only some solid play from the Norwich defence, lead by Tom Cooke, prevented Cambridge scoring from two short corners.  
The first of the talking points from the match came when a wayward pass across the back for the Norwich defence was picked by a prowling Cambridge Uni player. The resulting sliding save from Alastair ‘Russell’ Cooke was deemed overly aggressive and a penalty flick was awarded. A good flick was met be an even better save and Cambridge Uni’s season woes continued. Seconds later, as Norwich were spurred on by the save, Tom Cooke threaded a ball out wide to Harry Ingham on the left; he drove from half way to the D and forced a short corner. The short was saved by the Cambridge keeper but the rebound was swiftly dispatched by Gabriel Marchant for Norwich to take the lead.  
The second half began with some strong Cambridge attacking play but with Harry Brown and resident saffa Luke Hobson proving too wall like for the Cambridge attacking players.  
Norwich began to take control of the play and duly won another short corner. The resulting drag flick from Dave Skinner proved too quick for the keeper and goal line defender. 2-0.  
Norwich made it 3 when Luke Hobson made a good tackle, and released a quick phase of play leading to Chris Wardale who played a neat one-two with Nick Jones and then cooly beat the keeper with a lifted shot from an angle.  
Cambridge did manage to get the ball over the line after some confusion in the D, but as their league position might suggest, things are not going their way. The goal was overturned due to the centre forward in fact kicking the ball into the goal and the moral of the Uni team began to sink.  
The 4th and final goal came after Cambridge moved to a kicking back to prepare for their upcoming varsity match. Dave Skinner found the ball on the half way line and played Gabriel Marchent in acres of space. A quick pass over the last defenders stick left Luke Corden quite literally awaiting the ball on the goal line to tap into an open net and he did not disappoint... 
The final score of 4-0 reflected a solid Norwich performance. Cambridge University did not play like a team who are holding up the table and deserve to hold their heads up high. With results going Norwich’s way with Wapping dropping points, the hunt for promotion goes on with Norwich fully in control of their own destiny. 
 

MENS 2ND XI - 10/02/2018 VS CITY OF PETERBOROUGH 3 (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens 2nd XI 
DATE: 10/02/2018 
FIXTURE: Mens 2nd XI VS 10/02/2018 
HEADLINE: Peterborough Knocked For 6  
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 2 NORTH 
VENUE: TRF 
RESULT: 6-0 Win  
 
REPORT: 
 
City 2’s welcomed Peterborough 3’s to Taverham on a wet, windy, cold and quite frankly miserable Saturday afternoon.  
The home side started brightly and within only 3 minutes where awarded a penalty flick after a city forward was denied a goal scoring opportunity from point blank range. Exited Cheeseman signalled to the bench and coach Hindle that he was eager to take on the responsibility of the penalty only to ‘lose his footing’ (yeah whatever) and dolly the ball at a comfortable height to the keepers right… No score!  
Fortunately this didn’t affect the momentum that city where enjoying and shortly after Harry Patterson came up with his first of the afternoon. A sweet strike from the top of the D found the netting just above the back board. 1-0.  
It was then Patterson who struck again, this time with a more fortuitous all be it instinctive finish when he deflected a crossed pass into the goal. 2-0. 
The game continued and City remained dominant continuing to create chance after chance. Cheeseman so nearly making up for the penalty only to smash nothing but cold winter air from inside the D… He was getting closer.  
City went into the break 2-0 up and very much in control. 
After cowering in the dugout to get some needed rest bite from the howling wind and rain, city came out and again asserted their dominance. Little work was needed from the back four of Shapland, Duffy, Scott and Crighton and even less so from young whipper snapper Millet in the city goal.  
City pushed forward and found a third goal. A brilliant reverse stick strike from Gill found the bottom corner…3-0.  
More good work from the city front 5 set up Gill for his second this time a strike from the top of the D. 4-0. 
Cheeseman was once again involved in the action. A great run from left to right found him arriving at the top of the D. This time he managed to connect sweetly with the ball but unfortunately the ball managed to connect sweetly with the post. Would he ever score?!?! 
A well worked short corner brought a goal for City’s elder statesman Morgan. An easy finish slotted at the far post. 5-0.  
Finally after so much good wok Cheeseman was in on the action again. After camping out on the goal line looking for any sniff of a chance he was found with a pass from the left. He controlled the ball well with his first touch and with his second fired towards goal only to hit the keeper in the chest… fortunaley the ball fell to his feet and from a whopping 3 inches he finally got the goal he deserved… 6-0.  
City where dominant from start to finish and good for their 6 goals. The only thing left to do after the game was to remove the frost bitten icicle, formally known as Ben Millett, from between the posts. A full 70 minutes without a single touch for the city keeper can only be likened to going shopping with his mum… because you know… all mums go to Iceland!  
 
MOTM - Harry Gill 
TYFC - Dan Cheeseman  
 
 

MENS 4TH XI - 10/02/2018 VS PELICANS 2 (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens 4th XI 
DATE: 10/02/2018 
FIXTURE: Mens 4th XI VS 10/02/2018 
HEADLINE: Pelis Can't 
LEAGUE: EAST DIVISION 3 NORTH EAST 
VENUE: Taverham 
RESULT: 1:0 
 
REPORT: This week Norwich City Mens 4s entertained King's Lynn Pelicans in a bottom of the table 6 pointer. A win for City would see them climb off the bottom of the table and a loss would see them 5 points behind their opponents. 
Hindered by only fielding 10 players, the away side started slowly and were undone on a few occasions by the forward running of a City side, fresh from their win a week earlier. Unfortunately City were unable to capitalise on their early chances and allowed the away side to gain in confidence. For most of the first half City wre on the back foot surprisingly and could have been a goal or two down if not for the expertise of Ben NKrumah in the City goal saving smartly on many occasions, including from a poorly taken penalty stroke. The second half started much the same as the first with City on the front foot and took the lead midway through the half when a short corner was drilled into the area and a mixup between the Pelis defence presented Jagdev Singh with a tap in from close range. The rest of the match was littered with poorly taken chances and bad decisions from both teams as City edged it to win. City MOM: Ben Nkrumah 
 

MENS DEVELOPMENT XI - 13/02/2018 VS NORWICH DRAGONS B (H) 
 
TEAM: Mens Development XI 
DATE: 13/02/2018 
FIXTURE: Mens Development XI VS 13/02/2018 
HEADLINE: Scrappy draw a fair reflection. 
LEAGUE: NORFOLK DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE 
LEAGUE SPONSORS: EMPRESA LIMITED 
VENUE: TRF 
RESULT:NCHC Devs 4 - 4 Dragons B 
 
REPORT: 
This was a fairly disjointed match which saw the hosts go a goal behind inside the first 5 m8 utes thanks to an excellent short corner strike. If anything this seemed to galvanise all the home players to want to dribble and try speculative passes and tackles. We managed to level thanks to Freddie Paterson but then conceded two somewhat scruffy goals thanks to a combination of lack lustre marking and half heated tackling. 
 
A stern talk at half time saw City show much more purpose with some good passing notably through Jonty Black, Freddie and Harry Mackenzie. A Henry Baker thunderbolt from a short corner made it 2-3. With Angus Irving getting more in to the game and City looking more to pass with useful interplay between Archie Ward, Toby Pallister and Sam Hyatt creating a number of good opportunities it looked like City were going to take control only to conced a somewhat fortuitous if well taken goal. 2-4! Sam Hyatt then reduced the arrears. The same player should have made it 4-4 following an excellent move form midfield, down the right and a perfect lay back involving Jonty, Harry, Henry, Freddie and Sam only for the shot to be straight at the keeper! 
 
City were not having it all there own way with Archie Ward and Krishna Patel making a string of inciteful and much needed tackles aid3d and abetted by Will in goal.  
 
With City pressing for the equaliser Alex Illing was thwarted in front of goal before a fine flowing and simple passingmove saw Freddie calmly slot home from 8 metres to set up a final five minute siege on the Dragons goal. 
 
Final score 4-4 was probably fair with City really turning around a poor first half with a very much improved second half.. 
 
Moral of the match, don’t try too hard, keep it simple and trust your team mates. 
 
Jonty Black just pipped Harry Mackenzie to be man of the match.